Tokamachi 2504 - Our residence for the next few days is the Kurekimata Ecomuseum center. Entry way with lots of clean wood

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Tokamachi 2504 -Nobue's sister frying up the mountain vegies with a crisp, light batter

Tokamachi 2504 - Crispy tempura vegies including maitake mushrooms, tokio onions (related to leeks), and fuki

Tokamachi 2504 - Heading back outside from the family house.

Tokamachi 2504 - Nobue's sister taking a break outside

Tokamachi 2504 - Marie' trying to take off...

Tokamachi 2504 - Holes in the snow base show the layers as the snow melts

Tokamachi 2504 - Water is diverted to the river to avoid road and massive field floods

Tokamachi 2504 - Round the corner of tall road-side snow textured by rain

Tokamachi 2504 - Snow covered rice fields lead to the base of the snow-losing hills

Tokamachi 2504 - Family get-together for Nanae's birthday in the main room of the museum

Tokamachi 2504 - Lots of wood and view to the snow

Tokamachi 2504 - There are 4 large rooms with futons stored in the closets

Tokamachi 2504 - Getting the fuki and other mountin vegies ready for frying

Tokamachi 2504 - One of the unique items grown around here is organic black rice which is used for mochi, like this, noodles, and just eating.

Tokamachi 2504 - Nobue's old family house entry way with her brother coming out from the kitchen

Tokamachi 2504 - Nobue in her red snow gear walking up the road

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Tokamachi 2504 - Old Yamada farmhouse with a bit of snow

Tokamachi 2504 - First signs of the pond covered for a few months by snow

Tokamachi 2504 - Forest-side pond emerging from the snow piles

Tokamachi 2504 - Witer trees at the foot of a hill loosing it's snow

Tokamachi 2504 - large 6 mat tatami rooms

Tokamachi 2504 - Comercial kitchen in the center

Tokamachi 2504 -After harvesting some of the fuki along the road, a crispy fry makes it really good

Tokamachi 2504 - Morning meal with farm-fresh eggs.

Tokamachi 2504 - Farmers are always ready

Tokamachi 2504 - Snow towering over a serious pose

Tokamachi 2504 - Small vallley with snow melting beneath the trees

Tokamachi 2504 - House on the other side

Tokamachi 2504 - Small white caps from melting snow in the trenches

Tokamachi 2504 - Dirty snow from melting and road clearing leads to mountains loosing snow

Tokamachi 2504 - Snow losing mountains viewed across snow covered rice fields